STONE HARBOR – The area known as the Courts is comprised of small bungalows on narrow lanes reminiscent of an earlier day in the borough. Residents of the bungalows have advocated for the right to construct second-floor additions, which would still leave the cottages with less than 900 square feet of living space.
The residents may get their way beginning as soon as July 20, when the Stone Harbor Borough Council is expected to introduce an ordinance on the necessary zone changes for the Courts and Linden Lane. Paul Kates, from the Stone Harbor Planning Board, gave the council a preview at its July 6 meeting.
The proposal, according to Kates, would allow a second-floor structure of a maximum of 60% of the square footage of the primary first-floor structure.
The combined square footage under the proposal would be 896 square feet. Second floor and side yard setbacks would apply, as would a need for a residential sprinkler system. One concern that will also need to be addressed is vehicle parking since the narrow lanes present a challenge for emergency equipment.
The specific areas impacted by the change include parts of Linden Lane, Bower Court, Stone Court, and Weber Court. The details of the proposed changes are available in the draft ordinance document, which is part of the July 6 work session document package on the borough’s website (https://bit.ly/36ppIXf).
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